landmark
Giethoorn
Car-free village known as the 'Dutch Venice' where thatched-roof farmhouses are connected by canals and wooden bridges.
27 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeNetherlandsFriesland
Heerenveen
Friesland, Netherlands · Europe
About Heerenveen
Heerenveen is worth a stop: 5 minutes from De Knipe, 41km from Afsluitdijk.
Heerenveen is in Friesland, Netherlands, with about 43,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is De Knipe, about 4 km away.
Heerenveen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɦeːrə(ɱ)ˈveːn] , West Frisian: It Hearrenfean [ət ˌjɛrn̩ˈfɪən] , Stellingwerfs: et Vene) is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân), in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 (1 January) while the municipality had a population ofRead more
50,859 (1 July).
The town itself is located southeast of Sneek and southwest of Drachten. Heerenveen is the oldest peat canal village in the Netherlands. Heerenveen is the fourth-largest place in Friesland in terms of population, but is not one of the eleven Frisian cities.
The municipality was formed on 1 July 1934, from parts of former municipalities Aengwirden and Schoterland, and a portion of the municipality of Haskerland. Boarnsterhim also merged into Heerenveen.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Heerenveen?
Within an hour or so of Heerenveen: Giethoorn (27 km), Schokland (37 km), TT Circuit Assen (40 km), Afsluitdijk (41 km).
Are there any good drives near Heerenveen?
The nearest famous roads are Afsluitdijk and Houtribdijk.
Where is Heerenveen?
Heerenveen is in Friesland, Netherlands, about 4 km from De Knipe.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 43,094
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Netherlands
- Region
- Friesland
- Timezone
- Europe/Amsterdam
- Coordinates
- 52.9593, 5.9185
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Netherlands
Watch for cyclists. They generally have priority.
Full driving guide for NetherlandsTags
Worth the detour from Heerenveen
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Schokland
Former Zuiderzee island now stranded in the Noordoostpolder, the Netherlands' first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
37 km · about 45 min drive
racetrack
TT Circuit Assen
The Cathedral of Speed -- the only circuit to have hosted a MotoGP round every year since the championship began in 1949.
40 km · about 45 min drive
famous road
Afsluitdijk
A 32km causeway sealing off the Zuiderzee, this dead-straight engineering marvel is one of Europe's great driving roads.
41 km · about 45 min drive
famous road
Houtribdijk
A 26 km dike road (N302) running straight across the water between Enkhuizen and Lelystad, splitting the IJsselmeer from the Markermeer with sea views on both sides.
50 km · about 55 min drive
restaurant
De Librije
The Netherlands' only three-Michelin-star restaurant, set in a former prison complex in Zwolle, where the late Jonnie Boer's team under chef Nelson Tanate has held the top rating since 2004.
51 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Walibi Holland
Dutch thrill park near Amsterdam known for intense roller coasters and a fun Halloween Fright Nights event.
59 km · about 70 min drive
ancient ruins
Hunebedcentrum
Museum in Borger beside D27, the largest of the Netherlands' 5,000-year-old hunebed dolmens: 22-metre granite burial chambers older than Stonehenge, scattered along the Drenthe hondsrug ridge.
59 km · about 70 min drive
Driving roads near Heerenveen
- 41 kmAfsluitdijkA 32km causeway sealing off the Zuiderzee, this dead-straight engineering marvel is one of Europe's great driving roads.
- 50 kmHoutribdijkA 26 km dike road (N302) running straight across the water between Enkhuizen and Lelystad, splitting the IJsselmeer from the Markermeer with sea views on both sides.
Driving in Netherlands
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€2.04/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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